How To Get Rid Of Under The Skin Pimples

Updated on August 8, 2015

Dealing with white heads, blackheads and other, more accessible forms of pimples can be relatively straight forward. But what about treating a pimple when it's buried below the skin where topical solutions can't get to it?

The solution isn't all that dissimilar from a bout of the old surface pimple. But you will have to draw out the contents from below the skin and raise the "head" first. Thankfully for us, this won't require anything overtly fancy on our part -- all you need can be readily found within the confines of your house. However, if all else fails your local pharmacy is armed with all manner of over-the-counter remedies that you can use.

My average reaction | Source

Preparing For War

Our first step is to gather the necessary ingredients. Most of which can be found in our kitchen. If not, there are some other things you can try, I'll mention potential substitutes in passing. Here's what we'll need:

Hot water and a compress - The water shouldn't be scorching or you'll end up with a burn and more swelling on top of a zit! Your compress of choice would ideally be a cotton swab (but you can use a towel too).

Baking soda paste(optional) - Mix water and banking soda together to create an antibacterial paste.

Patience - Despite the glamorous claims, most pimples can be stubborn, and no single solution will work every time. You'll always want to keep your hands off your face for a few days at the very least.

Getting Rid Of The Submerged Pimple

Before you begin your D.I.Y home acne clinic, make sure you wash and exfoliate as thoroughly as possible. While I am not personally a huge fan of antibacterial cleansers in the long-run (studies indicate they may pose risks), I would be more than willing to indulge just this once.

Heat up some water and dip your compress into it. Hold the compress firmly on top of the pimple and hold it there stoically for at least a couple of minutes. The warm water will not only reduce swelling, but also draw pus from the pimple, reducing its size substantially. If swelling continues to be an unpalatable aesthetic issue, you can also consider using a topical ice-pack.

Once the pus has leaked, and the coast is clear, you can add your anti-acne solution of choice. Look for products that contain benzoyl peroxide (right), or use a home-made alternative.

Apply your baking soda mix to the war zone and let it sit for a good half-hour, allowing the solution to continue to leech pus, oil and any other nasties that lurked below.

At this point you should notice an improvement, but be advised that it may take a few days for monumental change to take place. In the meantime continue to exfoliate and use your lemon juice solution to keep the skin toned and clean. Limit treating your pimple to only twice a day.

A Note On Toothpaste

While doing a sprinkling of research I noticed that toothpaste, when it comes to getting rid of under the skin pimples, is something of a divisive issue. My overall opinion is that of not recommending it for topical use due to reports that it can cause long-term marks and even low-key scarring.